It would be interesting to see someone make a dig against Russia (like quiqie mentioning how Pechelat/Bourzat were having a trying time there) or a Western European country, or China, or Japan, etc., and see how celebrated those comments would be.

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Well, I did mention the Orange Team interviews, when some skaters were asked to trash competitions they'd been to. Does that count? I remember JW in Sofia came up in one of those.

Also, Scott Moir thinks the WTT is stupid, does that count as not liking Japan?

Plus one! Once I saw Irina Slutskaya take the ice at a Champions on ice show in Spokane. Even though she did a western theme skate hardly anyone applauded her before or after the skate. I was ashamed. I am sure very few ice show fans in Spokane knew who she was.Later, I heard her quoted as saying something to the effect that "All American audiences want to do is sit in the stands and eat their cheeseburgers". Like Suze, there are days I don't like this country either....translating from one lanuage to another is not as easy as people think, given culteral differences. Russians sometimes do come across as proud and arrogant. Even when they dont mean to be. I remember Yasa and Yuri being introduced on TV when they did their gala performance at SkateCanada about 1992 as the "proud" Russians.....well, I dont know if they are proud or not...they certainly have reason to be....whenever I talk to them, I just see two well mannered polite friendly people. It would be interesting to talk one on one with AL....I know I wouldnt feel comfortable living in Russia...I am sure she has her reasons for not feeling comfortable here.

A lot of Russians are rather preoccupied with disliking the US. This was striking to my parents when they visited Moscow about 6 months ago. Being able to communicate in Russian, they'd asked why the resentment and the stunning answer was: "They don't help us." Not sure what that meant and why/how the US is supposed to help Russia but there it is. Not representative of the majority opinion by any means. However, the general sense of resentment is there.

Also, Scott Moir thinks the WTT is stupid, does that count as not liking Japan?

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But you see where that moment of "honesty" got him as a North American/Canadian! His comment about hating that competition was said in a moment of frustration in the K&C, and I don't think anyone thought it meant he disliked Japan, but some people still won't let that comment go.

(Let me be clear that by "some people" I don't mean the Japanese fans - not at all! He and Tessa have often skated in Japan over the years, they have always spoken highly of their experiences there - in fact they have said it's one of their favourite places to skate, and the Japanese crowds have always been wonderful and supportive. )

She sounded homesick. Poor baby. It must be hard to have to live somewhere for your job that you wouldn't pick to live voluntarily.

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There are lots of young people who pursue sports at the elite level precisely so that they can travel the world, meet people from different backgrounds, and experience different cultures. Sometimes that means being in London for the Olympics, sometimes it means training in New Jersey, and sometimes that means going to a competition somewhere like Kosice, Slovakia or Kent, Washington. You can either relish the opportunities (and even go out on your own without being glued to your teammates), or you can waste them. But the chance to see the world may not come so easily ever again. The least she could do is try to appreciate her opportunities and the places she visits.

Perhaps this is a translation issue as much as anything. In my own experience, I've found that there can be hazards in attempting to translate English into Russian. Many years ago, I was taking a beginning Russian class, and I got the bright idea of writing a fan letter to Soviet gymnast Olga Korbut in Russian.

What I intended to say was:

"Dear Olga. Congratulations on your recent victory. I saw you on television recently, and really enjoyed your performance."

Only after sending my letter, however, did I find out that what I had actually written was this:

"Dear Olga. Congratulations on your recent spoilage. I saw you on top of my television set recently, and really enjoyed your performance."

So I would imagine that similar difficulties may exist in translating Russian into English.

There are lots of young people who pursue sports at the elite level precisely so that they can travel the world, meet people from different backgrounds, and experience different cultures. Sometimes that means being in London for the Olympics, sometimes it means training in New Jersey, and sometimes that means going to a competition somewhere like Kosice, Slovakia or Kent, Washington. You can either relish the opportunities (and even go out on your own without being glued to your teammates), or you can waste them. But the chance to see the world may not come so easily ever again. The least she could do is try to appreciate her opportunities and the places she visits.

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Not everyone enjoys traveling, and lots of young people pursue sports for other reasons - such as being good at what they do and enjoying their chosen sport. I would imagine some skaters love to skate and compete but would prefer to do so closer to home. I don't think it's fair to expect all skaters to appreciate the opportunity to travel and experience new cultures, just like not all business travelers or academics going to conferences enjoy every trip they take. Leonova's choice was to become a skater, not a frequent flyer. Obviously at that level the travel is part of the job description, but it doesn't mean that it's pleasure rather than business for her, or that she's obliged to appreciate every place she visits as part of her career.

I don't think it's fair to expect all skaters to appreciate the opportunity to travel and experience new cultures,

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Besides... New Jersey? Not the place I'd pick to go have exciting adventures learning new cultures. In fact, I got out of there as fast as I could and I am from the East Coast and the US and didn't feel uncomfortable at all.

Besides... New Jersey? Not the place I'd pick to go have exciting adventures learning new cultures. In fact, I got out of there as fast as I could and I am from the East Coast and the US and didn't feel uncomfortable at all.

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As I said, even if she doesn't like traveling, she doesn't have to moan about the food at the Olympics and being stuck ninety minutes from the beach. There are lots of skaters who would gladly make do, given the opportunity.

Perhaps this is a translation issue as much as anything. In my own experience, I've found that there can be hazards in attempting to translate English into Russian. Many years ago, I was taking a beginning Russian class, and I got the bright idea of writing a fan letter to Soviet gymnast Olga Korbut in Russian.

What I intended to say was:

"Dear Olga. Congratulations on your recent victory. I saw you on television recently, and really enjoyed your performance."

Only after sending my letter, however, did I find out that what I had actually written was this:

"Dear Olga. Congratulations on your recent spoilage. I saw you on top of my television set recently, and really enjoyed your performance."

So I would imagine that similar difficulties may exist in translating Russian into English.

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Thanks for sharing that personal experience, RickInSanJose. Hopefully Olga Korbut realized that you were an American fan and not a native Russian speaker/ writer. Yes, ITA, there are lots cultural and language differences that tend to get lost in translation.

Oh please, let Leonova and anyone for that matter, speak her mind and stop treating ladies skating as a pageant contest where they have to be little princess and role models of PR. I much prefer ro read sincere interviews like this (and most of russian interviews ), where she's not really offending anyone, just stating doesn't like to be in a certain place, and gives honest reasons instead of the usual crap like "I only want to skate for myself or to do my best".

As I said, even if she doesn't like traveling, she doesn't have to moan about the food at the Olympics and being stuck ninety minutes from the beach. There are lots of skaters who would gladly make do, given the opportunity.

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I'd take moaning over "i loved this experience bla bla bla" likes that we usually get.

As I said, even if she doesn't like traveling, she doesn't have to moan about the food at the Olympics and being stuck ninety minutes from the beach.

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She doesn't have to, but she can.

There are lots of skaters who would gladly make do, given the opportunity.

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Including Leonova herself. She made do by finding other food at the Olympics, going shopping and to the movies instead of the beach, and arranging to fly to the USA a few days after the rest of Morozov's group for Worlds and working on the list of tasks he gave her.

Oh please, let Leonova and anyone for that matter, speak her mind and stop treating ladies skating as a pageant contest where they have little princess and role models of PR. I much prefer ro read sincere interviews like this (and most of russian interviews ), where she's not really offending anyone, just stating doesn't like to be in a certain place, and gives honest reasons instead of the usual crap like "I only want to skate for myself or to do my best".

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This cracked me up. First, because she was obviously goaded into saying something anti USA which is exactly how all of these interviewers go, and she gave a standard compliance answer like they always do, so in fact both cultures give exactly which stock answers are expected of them and are therefore equal. Secondly, I too love "honesty" because it's how's these people are. Her "honest" answer was dull, uninsightful and uninteresting, quite like her skating.

Except she really has to look at her own programs before publicly dissing her competitors and saying she isn't impressed at their programs. When was her last masterpiece?

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Well, Kostner is quite modern and abstract , while Leonova is 'hit you in the head with a hammer' Literal. When Leonova skates to pirate music, every movement her clothing, her face constantly remind you, she's a PIRATE! Why do some funky transition when you can get to the same place by doing a few crossovers with a big pirate face? it's not surprising that Kostner mostly loses her.